Adjustable-tennis-net post



Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

UMTED STATES ABRAHAM BASSFORD, OF MILLWOOD, YORK.

ADJUSTABLE-TENNIS-NET POST.

Application ilediAuigust 5,1926.` Serial No. 127,377.

This invention relates to a fastening device and more particularly to a device to fasten the ends of a tennis net or the like.

It is an object of the invention to proyduce an improved, simple, efficient and in expensive device for tennis posts through the medium of which the tennis net can be raised or loweredso as to permit an adjustment of the net for singles or doubles play.

It is another object of the invention to produce a device to be used in connection with4 tennis net posts to permit the net to be raised or lowered with great ease and celerity, and without the necessity of dis* turbing the setting of the net.

It is a further object ofthe invention to produce a tennis post which can be :easily set up or removed and which will ypermit the tennis net to beraised or lowered without disturbingthe setting of thenen Other and further objects and advantages ofv the invention together-with its -distinguishing features will appear as thespecivice for raising or lowering the net affixed to the top thereof;v

Figure 2 is a view showing a longitudinal cross-section, the device for raising and loweriig the net aiiixed to the top of the post; an f Figure 3 illustrates a modification of the vdevice as shown in Figure 2.

In tennis playing many times it is necessary .to change the height of the tennis net, which is at the present accomplished by means of pulling a rope or a similar device. It is a well known fact that the raising or lowering of the net by slackening the tension thereof is not a desirable one for a slack generally causes a sag in the center of the net making the clearance line on the top of the netc-urved. Furthermore, no matter how careful or how hard it is tried a net which is raised ory lowered by means of a rope and pulley cannot be finely y f Yfication roceeds of which the accom an f-.

adjusted, and the adjustment ,is usually very cumbersome. e

`With the aid. of my deviceV the net can be easily adjusted at various heights at any time, and can be maintained at the same tension without any difficulty as itl will appear from the description hereafter.

Referring to the drawings I have shown by way of illustration a tennis net 10 fastened to a post 11 at 12 and 18. It is understood that .a similar fastening of the net side thereofl which vfastened at the top of a turnbuckle 16 ywhich has one end thereof fastened to the net 10 andthe other fastened to the eye 17 inthe VVbracket member 19. This bracket'` member 19 has a shank 2O formed with a collar 21 and fixed to it by a pin 22. The post 11 has a cap 23 secured to it by meansofa driving fit as. indicated by the reference character 24 in Figure 2. t" y A modification of this device is illustrated in Figure 3 wherein to the ,post 11 is affixed the cap 23 by means of threads 24. Another .feature is that the .shank 2() `is threaded into the bracket 19 as shown at 2.5. Also in this modification, the collar`21 is screwed to the shank 2O by means of a screw 22.

The upper end of the net is secured to the post 11 through the medium of the turnbuckle 16, and by tightening or-loosening the tension of thernet, by turning the turnbuckle, the bracket 19 may be raised from a lower position to a higher position as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2. The pull of the net on the bracket 19 causes the shank 20 to move slightly out of the perpendicular and impinge upon the edges 26 and 26 of the opening 26 in the cap 23. The

Vbase 15 set inthe ground. ThefnetylO is` shank 2O may be of any length, depending I upon the variation in height that is desired to move the net. When the bracket 19 is in a raised position, or away from its lowermost position, it can be lowered by simply tapping with the hand or a mallet on the top of the bracket, but ywhen it is desired to be raised the turn-buckle is loosened and the bracket raised to the desired height, tightening the turn-buckle after the adjustment has been made.

The way the shank 20`impinges against.

the walls oit the cap 23 is shown in Figure 2 by the dotted lines.

It will be understood that the post 1l herein shown as tulflular may be ot any coniiguration such as square., hexagonal etc., as Well as the cap 223 and the bracket 19 with the shank 20, as long as the opening 2G has enough play between the shank E() and the edges 2G and '26 to perniit of the shank 2O to be thrown out ot perpeiulicular alineinent with the post ll and thereby eausinl the shank 2O to inipinge against the opening 26, as heretofore described.

It goes without :cryingl that it the post is otherwise than round as illustrated, the socket lat may likewise be conligured to correspond with the contlnuration ot' the post.

It thus seen that by ineans of my iniproved device, whenever it `is desired to raise or lower the net the saine may be etiected with speed and without diliiculty.

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated and described examples constitute one practical einliodiinent ot' niy invention, I do not limit nrvselit' strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since, manifestly, the saine can be considerably varied without departur'e ilroni the spirit o the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described iny invention, I claim:

1. An adjustable post coinprisiiugI a body portion, a plate carried transversely thereof, said plate being apertured, an adjustable bracket nieniber inounted on the post and including a shank slidable in the plate apen ture, the shank being slightly smaller in dimension than the aperture whereby force applied to the bracket member in a direction transverse to the shank functions to bind or pinch the shank within the aperture o the plate.

2. An :uljustable post coinprisint;l an elongated body portion, a plate inounted transversely thereof, said plate being' apertured,A a shank mounted therein and freely slidable lornritluliually of the poet, an abutment carried by the .shank to liniit its sliding nieven'ient in one direction, and a ln'ackct carried by the other endet the shank to liinit its movement in the opposite direction, said shank being;v c: pable of slight lateral niovenient Within the plate aperture under action et a torce applied to the bracket nieniber transversely1 of the post whereby to bind Or pinch the shank within the plate aperture.

:3. An adjustable post comprising a body portioin a cap-plate therefor, said plate being provided with an aperture, a bracket ineniber niounted upon the upper end of the post and includingl a shank slidable through the aperture in the plate to effectively vary the. overall length olf the post, said shank and plaie aperture being dinleilsioned to perniit slipht lateral uuwenient ot the shank under the action ol a l'orce applied to the bracket transversely ol the post whereby to bind or pinch the bracket shank within the plate at any desired degree of extension et. The apparatus described in elairn 3, wherein the body oil the post is hollow iin-w inediately adjacent to the capplate whereby to provid 1, a housingr tor the bracket shank.

5. rlhe apparatus described in claini 13, wherein the bracket shank carries a collar at its inner end lor limitingl the range o'l' extension thereof with respect to the post.

A. BASSFORD. 

